Bad weather may halt Lankan march

The tourists, set an improbable target of 413 following an unbeaten century by Tillakaratne Dilshan, plodded to 30 for one in 13 overs by stumps on the fourth day at the Galle International stadium.

Dilshan made 123 not out as Sri Lanka declared their second innings at 259 for four at the stroke of tea.

A sharp shower during the tea break interrupted play by 40 minutes but New Zealand lost the wicket of Daniel Flynn before stumps when he was caught in the slips off Nuwan Kulasekara.

Martin Guptill was unbeaten on 17 and Ross Taylor was on eight when bad light stopped play with 14 overs remaining in the day.

New Zealand may be without influential batsman Jesse Ryder and wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum in their second knock after the duo suffered a stomach bug and were confined to their hotel rooms.

Sri Lanka accepted New Zealand’s request to field reserve wicket-keeper Reece Young since Ryder had been nominated to don the gloves if McCullum got injured. Rules do not normally allow anyone outside the playing XI from keeping wicket.

Earlier, Thilan Thushara and Muttiah Muralitharan finished with four wickets each as New Zealand, replying to Sri Lanka’s 452, were bowled out for 299 in their first innings.

Score board

Sri Lanka (I innings): 452

New Zealand (I Innings, O/n: 281-8)

Vettori b Thushara    42
O'Brien c P J’ardene b M’litharan    9
Martin (not out)    2

Extras: (B-6, lb-5, W-1, nb-11)    23
Total (all out; 116 overs)    299
Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-80, 3-129, 4-180, 5-188, 6-195, 7-223, 8-259, 9-290.
Bowling: Kulasekara 10-2-41-1, Thushara 23-2-81-4, Mendis 39-8-85-1, Muralitharan 42-10-73-4, Paranavitana 2-0-8-0.

Sri Lanka (II Innings)

Paranavitana c Taylor b O'Brien    5
Dilshan (not out)    123
Sangakkara (run out)    46
M Jayawardene c & b Patel    27
Samaraweera c Taylor b Vettori    20
P Jayawardene (not out)    30

Extras: (B-5, lb-3)    8
Total (for 4 wkts decl; 49 overs)    259
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-120, 3-174, 4-205.
Bowling: Martin 5-1-25-0, O'Brien 8-1-45-1, Oram 5-0-31-0, Vettori 19-3-81-1, Patel 12-0-69-1.

New Zealand (II Innings)

Guptill (not out)    17
Flynn c M J’wardene b K’sekara    0
Taylor (not out)    8
Extras: (B-4, lb-1)    5
Total: (for 1 wkt; 13 overs)    30
Fall of wicket: 1-1.
Bowling: Nuwan Kulasekara 3-0-10-1, Thilan Thushara 2-2-0-0, Ajantha Mendis 4-1-9-0, Muttiah Muralitharan 4-2-6-0.